Tufts Dental Medicine

When the New England Patriots play at Gillette Stadium this season, you’ll find Melanie Sanches, D15, on the sidelines as a cheerleader. She was one of 28 women from among 320 applicants who made the cut after auditions. (Friedman School student Madelyn Wilson, N15, is also on the squad.) Although this was Sanches’ first try at cheerleading, she competed in pageants and danced while growing up. Pre-season training included a trip to Cancun to pose for a calendar shoot. “I realized then how much fun it is to be a part of this team,” she says.